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	373 File Claims of Abuse with Covington Diocese By Paul Long The Cincinnati Post [Covington KY] November 21, 2005 ADVERTISEMENT More than 370 people have filed claim forms saying they were abused in the past decades by priests and employees of the Diocese of Covington, and they are seeking to be part of a class-action settlement. Lawyers for the diocese and the class today told Special Judge John Potter in Boone Circuit Court they had 373 submissions as of the Nov. 10 deadline. None has been checked out, and a few are obviously invalid - such as the claims of abuse in another diocese - but attorneys expect most are legitimate. "A significant number, we're not going to have any questions that they are valid," said Carrie Huff, a Chicago attorney who represents the Diocese of Covington. "I don't think we'll have a problem with many of these claims." Her counterpart, Robert Steinberg of Cincinnati, agreed, saying, "I think a very significant number are valid." The claims are seeking part of the $120 million the diocese has agreed to pay to victims of sexual abuse by priests and other employees - the largest such settlement in the nation thus far. The settlement arose from a lawsuit claiming a decades-long coverup of such abuse. In making the settlement, the diocese asserted it never participating in such a coverup. Of the $120 million, the diocese could pay up to $40 million, with the rest coming from insurance companies. A federal lawsuit aimed at forcing the insurance companies to pay the claims is pending in U.S. District Court in Covington, but both Huff and Steinberg told Potter all sides are close to an agreement in that case. Huff said the diocese was aware of many people who filed claims. But because the class expanded to include other employees, the diocese will have to determine who the employees are and when they worked.
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